Paris 1888 - 1934

Here is the audio guide entry about the artwork provided: Willem Adrianus Grondhout made this etching of Paris at an unknown date, using delicate strokes to capture a bustling city scene. Just imagine Grondhout standing there, his eyes darting from the grand architecture to the lively street life, all while carefully guiding his etching needle. I can almost feel the energy of the crowd he's depicted, rendered in such detail. Each tiny line seems to capture a fragment of a person, a building, a moment in time. Look at the cathedral looming in the background. Can you see how Grondhout manages to suggest its imposing presence with what is essentially, just a series of scratches? It's kind of mind-blowing when you think about it. It reminds me that every mark, every gesture in art is a conversation, a way of thinking through doing, that connects artists across time.